Medicaid Rules Moratorium Passed
By a vote of 349 – 62, the U.S. House of Representatives approved H.R. 5613, which would delay the Bush Administration’s plans to cut reimbursements to school districts that provide services to Medicaid eligible children with disabilities. Under the bill, the moratorium is extended until April 1, 2009.
The resolution now goes to the U.S. Senate.
TASA encourages districts to contact their congressional members immediately in support of H.R. 5613 to extend the moratorium allowing districts to continue school-based Medicaid claims for administrative and most transportation expenses.
You may contact your lawmaker at the following link.
Select Committee on Public School Accountability Receives Specific Recommendations
The Select Committee on Public School Accountability met in Dallas on June 16 to hear invited testimony from a panel of stakeholders who discussed models of accountability systems. Components of these systems may be incorporated into the Committee’s recommendations to the Legislature in December 2008, and into proposed legislation by the Committee’s co-chairs Sen. Florence Shapiro (R-Plano) and Rep. Rob Eissler (R-The Woodlands) during the upcoming 81st Legislative Session.
Two primary proposals were shared: The Texas Star System developed by Raise Your Hand Texas, and ten guiding principles included in a policy paper developed by the Texas Institute for Education Reform. In addition, the Education Resource Group shared information about a management tool that uses indices for measuring achievement against financial efficiency. The full documents shared at the June 16 hearing may be accessed on the TASA website.
Raise Your Hand Texas: The Texas Star System
Bill Ratliff, advisory board chairman, Raise Your Hand Texas (RYHT), introduced Dr. Cherry Kugle, consultant, RYHT, and explained that their recommendations focus on the reporting portion of the accountability system as it is important to have a plan that will “result in fair and understandable outcomes.” Dr. Kugle gave an overview of the RYHT proposal called The Texas Star System: An Improvement Model for Public School Accountability that focuses on improvement by including:
- Analyses of growth for both the program and individual students. There are two methodologies to evaluate growth for schools and districts that have not met performance targets:
- For measures that do not exist at every grade level, a Program Improvement Model will be used; e.g., three years of grade 5 science TAKS scores will be reported and then evaluated to provide a measure of success of science instruction in 5th grade.
- For measures that exist in contiguous grades, such as the grades 3–8 reading TAKS, a Growth Model will be used to evaluate performance and individual student growth from year to year.
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Measures of comparable improvement amongst schools with similar indicators created so that best practices may be shared
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Summaries of the proportion earned for growth and performance provided as a diagnostic profile for each school and district, and a clear identification of areas in need of improvement to be addressed through campus and district improvement plans
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A proportional model expressed in an annual diagnostic profile that allows achievement and growth to be demonstrated through many factors and is not determined solely on student assessment performance
- An assignment of “stars” that focuses on improvement versus the current system of “labels”
- Six stars—highest ranking
- One star—lowest ranking
- Additional rankings—Academic Watch, Academic Warning, and Academic Crisis
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Rewards and interventions that will compensate growth with a uniform and integrated approach, monetary rewards for demonstrated improvements, a system for identifying schools in need of early interventions, and a timeline that allows districts one year to bring performance up to standards before any further interventions take place
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A system design that is fluid and flexible if there are changes required by the state or federal testing system
- Indicators by Tiers to focus on improvement:
- Tier 1 reading and mathematics performance and AYP measures
- Tier 2 core curriculum areas other than reading and mathematics
- Tier 3 college and workforce readiness measures
It was noted that RYHT is seeking input from stakeholders across the state and welcomes recommendations that can be incorporated into this work in progress. Committee member Sandy Kress encouraged RYHT to raise the “expected growth” percentages of their system. Bill Ratliff responded that a projection was incorporated through a growth model instead of with an arbitrary number. Dr. Thomas Randle, committee member and superintendent, Lamar Consolidated ISD, expressed appreciation of the approach RYHT was taking because it “taps into intrinsic motivation” and encourages investment of energy into the system.
Texas Institute for Education Reform (TIER): Ten Guiding Principles
Jim Windham, chairman, Texas Institute for Education Reform, introduced ten principles that TIER includes in its latest policy series, Creating the Schools We Need for the 21st Century: The Next Generation of Accountability. The intent is to suggest ways to translate the ten accountability principles into state policy.
Principle One: Make Postsecondary Readiness the Goal of Accountability
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Differs significantly from the current goal of our state accountability system which is to “improve student performance”
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Adds postsecondary readiness components to grades K–8 curriculum and assessment (postsecondary readiness currently applies only to high school students) and uses postsecondary readiness data to rate schools and districts
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Recommends that postsecondary readiness be recognized by absolute scores and by academic improvement (via academic growth and value-added gains
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Eliminates Alternative Accountability System that primarily serves educationally disadvantaged students, such as charter schools and schools devoted to dropout recovery
Principle Two: Connect Postsecondary Readiness with Closing the Achievement Gap between Student Groups
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Adds “closing the achievement gap” as a twin goal of the accountability system
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Asserts that currently schools with large concentrations of disadvantaged students can elect to “opt out” of the state system to be governed by the alternative accountability system, which has less rigorous standards
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Asserts that large schools enjoy a “significant statistical advantage” when student performance is disaggregated and proposes the development of two new standards related to disaggregating student performance
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Encourages value-added methodology in the assessment of charter school performance, performance-based compensation plans, and evaluation of teacher preparation programs
Principle Three: Sound Statistical Design Is Essential
- Recommends student assessments be designed to measure the full range of performance for the grade or course, value-added during each school year, and progress toward an exit standard such as 12th grade for high school students
Principle Four: State/Local Partnerships Can Enhance Public School Accountability
- Proposes two tiers of accountability: First Tier—state sets standards, reporting requirements, rating system, and consequences for performance, and; Second Tier—districts supplement state accountability with locally designed policies to broaden approach to evaluation and school quality
Principle Five: All Stakeholders Should Be Involved in Public School Accountability
- Recommends state policymakers establish guidelines for districts to create decision-making bodies to design local accountability systems
Principle Six: Public School Accountability Must Be Based on Sufficient Capacity and Resources to Enable Schools to Succeed
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Recommends development of new state curriculum standards at all grade levels that incorporate postsecondary readiness such as those set by the American Diploma Project and ACT
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Recommends development of new state assessments at all grade levels that are benchmarked to the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), exemplary states, the Third International Math and Science Assessment, and national college readiness assessments
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Recommends creation of a new comprehensive statewide K–20 education system that encompasses current data systems for public education, higher education, and the State Board for Educator Certification (Note: Sen. Shapiro noted that legislation proposing such a system filed during the 80th Legislature was estimated to have a steep price of $100 million)
Principle Seven: Public School Accountability Should Be Primarily Based on Final Educational Outcomes and Secondarily Based on Intermediate Education Outcomes
- Evaluates and rates schools and districts annually with an alphabetic grade of A, B, C, D, or F
Provides primary standards and secondary standards for elementary, middle school, and high school
Principle Eight: Consequences Are Essential
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Recommends that students who do not improve performance after accelerated instruction be given the option to enroll in a Texas Education Agency Commissioner-approved virtual school, or a “transportation-paid transfer” to a public or private school of the student’s choice
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Recommends that teacher, administrator, and superintendent employment be reconsidered if standards are not met for two consecutive years
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Recommends that a school and district lose state funding and accreditation if a third of phase of intervention does not result in an acceptable accountability rating
Principle Nine: Multiple Means and Measures Enhance Fairness
- Suggests the system be governed by administering several types of assessments; creating a holistic approach to evaluation of student performance and identifying postsecondary readiness; creating a holistic approach to evaluating and rating schools and districts; combining two forms of accountability systems (consequence system and reporting system); and, encouraging districts to create local accountability policies
Principle Ten: Full, Transparent, and Accessible Information Is Essential
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Asserts that student performance data in Texas disguises the actual number of dropouts and non-high school completion and the true level of student academic proficiency
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Recommends that particular items be posted on district Web sites
Education Resource Group
Paul T. Haeberlen, president and chief operating officer, Education Resource Group (ERG), shared sample reports generated by ERG’s software related to district and school accountability data. Mr. Haeberlen explained that school districts must improve academics and be efficient at the same time, and he stressed that a system of indices versus a single performance indicator should be utilized. Dr. Gene Buinger, superintendent, Hurst-Euless-Bedford ISD, was introduced and explained how his district benefited from ERG’s management resources.
Public Testimony and Next Steps
The Committee heard public testimony from other Texas school superintendents. Dr. Cathy Bryce, superintendent, Highland Park ISD, asked the group to consider what the appropriate roles for state tests and accountability should be and noted research that indicates classroom assessment is critical and should be the foundation of assessment as opposed to our current system in which the state assessment is the “driving force.” Dr. Bryce also asked the Committee to consider whether students should be seen as test takers or engaged learners as she encouraged legislators to consider the process in which curriculum standards are currently established. Dr. Timothy Powers, assistant superintendent, Wichita Falls ISD, pointed out the benefits of allowing students at particular grade levels a second opportunity to take the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) test before scores are included in the system, as he urged the Committee to consider extending this opportunity to students that take the TAKS at all grade levels.
At the conclusion of public testimony, it was noted that the Committee has scheduled two additional meetings this summer: Monday, July 14, in Brownsville; and Monday, August 4, in El Paso.
Attorney General Modifies Open Records Letter Ruling
In response to requests from AISD, TASA, and other organizations, Attorney General Greg Abbott corrected Open Records Letter No. 2008-07450, which required AISD to release certain criminal history information to media organizations.
A corrected version of the letter ruling (No. 2008-7450A) can be found here.
AISD may still challenge the ruling in court. TASA will keep you apprised of any new developments.
Select Committee on Public School Accountability Meets in Dallas
The Select Committee on Public School Accountability met in Dallas on Monday, June 16 to hear invited testimony from a diverse panel of stakeholders who discussed models of accountability systems. Components of these systems may be incorporated into the Committee’s recommendations to the Legislature in December 2008, and into proposed legislation by the Committee’s co-chairs Sen. Florence Shapiro (R-Plano) and Rep. Rob Eissler (R-The Woodlands) during the upcoming 81st Legislative Session. Three primary proposals were shared: The Texas Star System by Raise Your Hand Texas, The TIER Guiding Principle System by the Texas Institute for Education Reform, and the Education Resource Group’s system of using indices for measuring achievement against financial efficiency. TASA will provide members with more detailed information about each of the proposals in the near future.
The Committee has scheduled two additional meetings this summer: Monday, July 14 in Brownsville and Monday, August 4 in El Paso.
